Mohamed Diarra, a Muslim college basketball player from Montreuil, France, was having a perfectly forgettable season for a perfectly forgettable team at North Carolina State University just a few weeks ago. When the Wolfpack finished the regular season with a 17-14 record — good enough for 10th place in the 15-team Atlantic Coast Conference — the 6-foot-10 junior forward was averaging about 6 points, 7 rebounds and 1 block per game.

And then, the madness that defines March commenced — right at the same time that Ramadan began.

NC State played its ACC postseason tournament opener on March 12, the second day of fasting for the Islamic holy month. The Wolfpack would have to win that tournament, and be crowned conference champion, to get into the NCAA Tournament, that one that crowns a national champion. Diarra would have to contribute to that effort while abstaining from food or water during daylight hours, a process which can be physically grueling for many Muslim athletes who choose to observe Ramadan during training and/or their competitive season.

Since that game on March 12, NC State is undefeated, and Diarra has become a star.

The Wolfpack beat Louisville, Syracuse, Duke, Virginia and North Carolina to win the ACC tournament title. That got them an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament, where they were given a No. 11 seeding. Eleventh seeds typically don’t get past the first round of the NCAA tourney. But the 11th-seed Wolfpack made it past the first round (vs. Texas Tech), then the second (vs. Oakland), and then the Sweet 16 (vs. Marquette) to advance to the Elite Eight. On Sunday, NC State will face Duke again; this time for an opportunity to reach the Final Four. A win would mean the Wolfpack’s first Final Four berth since 1983; the same year the program won its last national championship.

Diarra is playing a big role in NC State’s surprising postseason streak, and his breakout coincides with Ramadan. In eight postseason games he’s averaging 10.6 points, 12.5 rebounds and 2.1 blocks. Dating back to the ACC tournament final against North Carolina, he’s posted four straight double-doubles. It could’ve been six straight, but he fell one point short in a 9-point, 12-rebound effort against Virginia in the ACC semis. His best performance during this run was probably in the ACC quarterfinals win over Duke, when he had 14 points, 16 boards and 4 blocks.

In a column for the NC State student newspaper Technician, Colby Trotter wrote: “While fasting during this postseason stretch, Diarra’s been the hardest working player on the court, fighting for every rebound while hounding whoever he’s guarding on defense. It’s a testament to his commitment to the game of basketball and his religion.”

As good as Diarra has been, the public face of the Wolfpack has been senior forward DJ Burns, the 275-pound big man with a big personality and on-court charisma. NC State is a balanced team, but the way fans and media operate, Burns gets most of the attention. But that’s OK with Diarra.

“I’m not here to shine,” Diarra was quoted in the Fayetteville (N.C.) Observer. “I’m just trying to play basketball; win more than I can. When my teammates get shine, it’s cool and I’m glad for them. DJ, I help him a lot. I help all of my teammates. My job is to help people.”